Here is the translation of the provided sections. I have corrected the terminology to match the official *One Piece* English localizations and fixed typos from the source text where necessary.
***
**Section 101**
After all, Kuina is just a seven-year-old little girl! She's still quite vulnerable!
"Mr. Koushirou, shall we use real swords or bamboo swords?"
"Bamboo swords, please!"
"Heh heh, bamboo sword it is, whatever!"
This time, it was Ryuzaki's turn to spar with Koushirou.
As for the children in the dojo, they were already dumbfounded!
After all, Kuina had always been superior to these little brats, and now, a challenger had come and defeated Kuina in one blow, even challenging the dojo's master, Koushirou.
Although they didn't particularly like Ryuzaki, they had to admit that they were both little kids, yet the difference in their abilities was so vast.
Kuina watched resentfully from the side, inwardly cursing Ryuzaki to be defeated by her father in one move.
Koushirou gripped his bamboo sword, his eyes sharply fixed on Ryuzaki.
"And you dare ask my name!"
"Of course, of course, my name is Ryuzaki!"
"Well then, Ryuzaki, let's begin!"
"Bring it on, I'm very strong."
**Chapter 71: Strength Needs No Explanation**
"Hehehehe..."
The duel begins!
*Clang—* That's the sound of bamboo swords clashing.
You can see the surprise on Koushirou's face!
Although it was just a test, it made Koushirou marvel at the boy's exquisite swordsmanship, far beyond what one should possess at his age.
In the next few seconds, Koushirou's attack rhythm suddenly accelerated, evolving from the initial back-and-forth rhythm of attacks into a storm of continuous strikes.
Unexpectedly, Ryuzaki's rhythm also quickened, his counterattacks not weaker than when he was at a disadvantage.
During this process, all of Ryuzaki's talent had been transferred to his talent in **Kendo Basics**. He was learning and improving frantically in his battle with Koushirou.
Neither of them used any particular school of swordsmanship; they were simply sparring using the most basic swordsmanship.
Koushirou clicked his tongue in amazement.
Ryuzaki, on the other hand, smiled as he checked Koushirou's levels.
**Kendo Basics: Lv 93.**
**Ittoryu (One-Sword Style): Lv 91.**
**Isshin-ryu (One-Mind Style/School): Lv 91.** (Note: Or potentially "Koshirou's style").
This was the blatant pace of a **Great Swordsman** (Grandmaster)!
Basically, reaching Lv 90 or higher in Kendo Basics meant becoming a Great Swordsman!
Although it was only the initial stage of a Great Swordsman, it was not to be underestimated.
On this vast sea, countless swordsmen exhausted their entire lives, yet still could not reach the Great Swordsman level.
Don't underestimate the mere one level difference between Lv 89 and Lv 90; countless swordsmen couldn't overcome that hurdle.
The speed of Ryuzaki and Koushirou's battle increased rapidly, their bamboo swords flashing dazzlingly.
This scene completely stunned the children in the dojo! It also completely captivated Kuina!
"That person is so powerful..." Kuina murmured to herself.
Although Ryuzaki acted arrogantly, even saying things like Kuina was a girl, Kuina had to admit that the boy named Ryuzaki was ridiculously strong.
Everyone was amazed by Ryuzaki's swordsmanship.
Koushirou was no exception.
But Koushirou was even more surprised by something else, something only he, a Great Swordsman, could slowly perceive while fighting Ryuzaki.
That was—Ryuzaki's progress was terrifyingly strong.
Koushirou could feel that Ryuzaki had subtly adjusted the precision of his slashing, thrusting, and cutting during their fight.
A full hour had passed!
Ryuzaki suddenly jumped out of the fighting circle.
"That's enough for today, huff—huff—I'm hungry!"
"Heh, alright."
Koushirou could see that Ryuzaki's stamina was almost depleted, so he readily agreed!
In Koushirou's eyes, Ryuzaki was still just a boy, and it was normal for his stamina to be lacking.
Everyone else in the dojo probably thought so too!
Ryuzaki chuckled twice, offering no further explanation. Although he had used Armament Haki to take down one of the Marker Doors, the remaining ones still required stamina to maintain.
Fighting a strong opponent like Koushirou naturally depleted stamina quickly; being able to sustain himself for an hour was already quite impressive!
Ryuzaki returned the bamboo sword and then left the dojo.
However, Ryuzaki hadn't gone far…
"Wait a minute!"
"Oh?"
Ryuzaki turned around and saw Kuina chasing after him.
"What is it, you little rascal?"
***
**Section 102**
"Hmph!" Kuina pouted unhappily, but still suppressed her anger and asked, "You... why are you so strong?"
"Strong? Does it need an explanation?"
Well, that was all Ryuzaki could say. He couldn't very well say that his talent points could be transferred at will, could he?
A total of 368 talent points, all of which could be transferred to his Kendo Basics at will—if Kuina knew that, he wondered if it would terrify this stubborn little sister.
However, looking at Kuina, Ryuzaki could feel the flames of anger burning in the little girl's eyes.
"Strong? No explanation needed!"
Ryuzaki threw down this boastful remark and then turned and left with a flourish!
**Chapter 71: Strong? No Explanation Needed (Part 2)**
Ryuzaki threw down this boastful remark and then turned and left with a flourish!
Kuina glared hatefully at Ryuzaki's departing figure, cursing the bastard inwardly. What's with the arrogance? It's just that he's a little stronger, is it necessary for him to show off in front of me?
Kuina really wanted to say something sarcastic to Ryuzaki.
But after thinking it over, she realized she couldn't bring herself to be sarcastic to someone so powerful.
Kuina clenched her fists angrily, wanting to turn back to the dojo, but she couldn't move her feet. The desire to become stronger kept pushing her, pushing her to follow that powerful and despicable bastard.
"Fine, I'll follow you and observe you closely!"
Finally, Kuina made this decision and chased after him again.
"Stalker."
"Mind your own business!"
...
"Shorty!"
"You're no better! Hey, wait, we can't go into that forest ahead."
"Why?"
"There are wild animals in there."
"I'm hungry!"
"..."
"If you're scared, go back!"
"Who said I'm scared!"
Kuina was stubborn. If you can go, why can't I? Don't look down on girls, you sexist bastard.
Not long after entering the woods, the screams of wild boars echoed through the air.
As dusk fell, the aroma of roasted meat wafted from the forest.
They sat around the campfire.
"Hey, you little rascal, why do you want to get stronger?"
"None of your business!"
... ... ...
"Then why do you insist on learning swordsmanship?"
"None of your concern!"
Ryuzaki glanced at Kuina's talents with considerable interest.
This girl's talent was quite formidable.
**Talent: Basic Physical Fitness (92).**
**Talent: Basic Strength (93).**
**Talent: Basic Physical Skills (91).**
**Talent: Basic Swordsmanship (119).**
**Talent: One-Sword Style (114).**
**Talent: One-Soul Style (106).** (Note: Likely referring to "Isshin-ryu" or a specialized sword spirit talent).
Was this talent bad?
Of course not, not only was it not bad, it was actually quite powerful.
What Koushirou said about girls having limited growth potential was just normal.
Moreover, Ryuzaki guessed that what Koushirou said to Kuina specifically referred to the position of the **World's Greatest Swordsman**, a position that girls often couldn't attain.
Koushirou set his sights on the highest position, telling Kuina that while she couldn't achieve first place, second or third was entirely within her reach.
However, Kuina was rather arrogant and insisted on being number one.
For some unknown reason, perhaps in her despair, she accidentally fell down the stairs, a tragic end.
Suddenly, Ryuzaki reached out and patted Kuina's head.
"What are you doing?"
"Just trying to comfort you!"
"Who needs your comfort!"
This really made Kuina cry!
"You annoying jerk, I'm not weak, I don't need comfort..."
"Uh—okay, I'm sorry! Don't cry, I'll tell you a huge secret."
**Chapter 72: The Big Ball Theory**
"Can it make me stronger?"
Kuina looked at Ryuzaki pitifully, her face streaked with tears.
***
**Section 103**
Ryuzaki was speechless. This little girl was really... stubborn to the point of being heartbreaking.
Ryuzaki didn't directly answer Kuina's question, but instead muttered to himself, "Legend has it that there is a mountain, and on that mysterious mountain, there is a secluded ancient temple..."
"Is there a sword in the temple?"
"No, there is an old monk in the temple."
"Is the old monk a great swordsman?"
"No, the old monk tells stories. I only heard him say: Legend has it that there is a mountain, and on that mysterious mountain, there is a secluded ancient temple..."
Kuina glared angrily at Ryuzaki. If her gaze could kill, Ryuzaki would probably be dead a hundred times over!
"Ahem... Seriously though, I think your father's words aren't quite right."
"Wrong?"
"Yes, strength isn't the reason a girl can't become an excellent swordsman."
"Really?"
"Let's look at the facts and reason things out. If strength were the reason someone couldn't become an excellent swordsman, then the question arises: fish-men are ten times stronger than humans, so the World's Greatest Swordsman should be a fish-man."
"Huh? Now that you mention it, that makes sense!"
"Heh heh, right? And not just fish-men, giants too. According to the theory of strength, the World's Greatest Swordsman should be a giant."
"Right! But, but I still don't quite understand why there are so few excellent female swordsmen among humans?"
"I think it's not because of strength, but because of their '**Big Balls**'."
"Big balls?"
"Yeah! Let me give you an example."
Ryuzaki pressed his hands against Kuina's chest. Although she hadn't developed yet, she didn't even have small breasts!
But... it was just an example, just for the sake of explanation!
"Later, your breasts will slowly grow bigger, becoming two big balls..."
*Slap—*
A loud slap.
Kuina pushed Ryuzaki away, her face flushed as she covered her chest.
"You... you hit me?"
"Serves you right, who told you to be so lewd."
"I was just giving an example!"
"Anyway, no touching."
"Ahem... okay, I just wanted to say that once you have big balls, they'll jiggle..."
"Get to the point."
"Okay, okay. The point is, big balls jiggling around will affect your center of gravity. An unstable center of gravity will naturally affect your strength, right?"
Kuina frowned and thought for a long time before replying, "What you said seems to make sense, but my body hasn't developed yet, so I don't really understand."
"I see, you don't understand? Then let me give you another example."
Seeing this, Kuina immediately took a few steps back.
"Don't be nervous, this is another example! Stand in a safer spot and watch how I toy with this wild beast."
Kuina immediately grabbed a torch and stood a little distance away from Ryuzaki.
Ryuzaki, in turn, attracted a large tiger!
The tiger was enraged by Ryuzaki, because this shameless fellow kept poking its rear with a branch.
As the saying goes: Don't touch a tiger's backside.
**Chapter 72: The Big Ball Theory (Part 2)**
As the saying goes: Don't touch a tiger's backside.
But Ryuzaki went even further, actually poking it with a branch.
The tiger was furious, clawing and biting.
Ryuzaki, however, used the Navy's Six Styles: **Kami-e** (Paper Art).
"See that? Kuina, I'm swaying, I'm swaying!"
"Yes, I see, but what are you trying to prove?"
"I'm proving to you that without the interference of the 'big balls', my body will be freer to do as I please."
"But... what about a man's golden eggs? Is it really okay for you to sway like that..."
"Kuina, the golden eggs are small balls, but a woman's are big balls!"
Kuina nodded thoughtfully, as if she understood!
Seeing that Kuina understood, Ryuzaki kicked the big tiger away.
"Ryuzaki, you're amazing! What was that swaying move you were using just now called?"
"I'll tell you secretly, but you can't tell anyone else!"
"Don't worry, I won't say a word, I'm very tight-lipped!"
"That move was *Kami-e*, one of the Six Styles of the Navy! It's a defensive technique that allows you to control your body more easily and freely by releasing all your strength."
"Eh? Can you teach me?"
"I can, but not now. Your physical strength and stamina are too weak right now; you wouldn't be able to learn it."
"Okay, then what are the Six Styles of the Navy?"
"Oh, it's a martial art that transcends the limits of human physical ability..."
Ryuzaki talked at length about the Six Styles of the Navy, explaining a lot...
***
**Section 104**
"Ryuzaki, what you said before about **Life Return** (Seimei Kikan), that allows you to freely control your body, hair, and internal organs? Once you infuse your consciousness into it, you can control anywhere?"
"That's right, that's it. Life Return is a derivative of the Six Styles."
"So, using Life Return, you can control the giant spheres?"
"Uh—"
Ryuzaki scratched his head, thinking, "That seems to make sense. Kuina is quite clever!"
"Great! Ryuzaki, could you teach me Life Return?"
"Sure, but as you know, it's a very advanced technique..."
"Yes, yes, I understand, I understand. I need strong physique and strength. Don't worry, I'll train hard. One day, I'll learn Life Return, control the giant spheres, and become the world's greatest swordsman."
That night, Ryuzaki and Kuina made a pinky promise, a promise that would last a hundred years.
Ryuzaki promised that once Kuina's strength and physique were up to par, he would teach her the Six Styles of the Navy, and of course, the most important Life Return.
The next day, Ryuzaki went to the dojo to duel with Koushirou again, still using a bamboo sword.
There was no need to use a real sword for now, because Ryuzaki knew that while he called it a duel, he was actually there to learn and improve his swordsmanship level.
However, very few people would learn by stealing knowledge during a fight like Ryuzaki!
For Ryuzaki, only fighting against a strong opponent of this caliber could he quickly make up for his shortcomings and rapidly advance his swordsmanship fundamentals.
However, Ryuzaki was somewhat frustrated because he felt that there were certain areas he just couldn't seem to learn no matter how hard he tried.
An hour of fighting quickly passed without a winner.
Ryuzaki naturally called a stop, and it was time for Koushirou to stop as well.
But this time, just as Ryuzaki was about to leave…
Koushirou suddenly spoke up, "You've never practiced **Zen** before, have you?"
"Zen?"
"Well, it's just a kind of stillness," Koushirou explained. "However, rather than the stillness of quietude, I prefer to describe it as the purity of a Pure Land."
**Chapter 73: A Zen Duel**
Zen? Stillness? Purity?
What the heck is that?
Does it mean sitting like a monk?
"How about we have a Zen duel this afternoon?"
"Huh? Zen? A duel? Uh—okay, no problem."
Ryuzaki agreed. It's just sitting quietly on the ground, who can't do that! Don't underestimate me, I could sit like that for three days and three nights straight.
After Ryuzaki had a hearty meal in the nearby woods, in the afternoon, he came to duel with Koushirou.
In Ryuzaki's view, it was just sitting quietly on the ground without saying a word, yeah, that's it.
So Ryuzaki and Koushirou sat in the dojo.
In front of them, a group of children were energetically swinging bamboo swords in their training.
This was rather noisy!
Fortunately, Ryuzaki was used to this kind of situation and could still calm down.
Ryuzaki habitually transferred all his talent points to his current talent: Armament Haki.
He continued to do this, utilizing all his talent points without reservation whenever he had free time, accelerating his training even during leisure time—of course, he was training Armament Haki!
However, Ryuzaki's quiet period didn't last long. He glanced at Koushirou, feeling puzzled.
What exactly was this Zen training that Koushirou spoke of?
The more Ryuzaki thought about it, the more something seemed off.
If Zen had no effect on swordsmanship, then Koushirou wouldn't need to practice it!
Koushirou was a complete swordsman; you'd never seen him play with a gun!
Almost everything about him was related to swordsmanship.
After much thought, Ryuzaki finally transferred all his talent points back to his Basic Swordsmanship talent.
Although he didn't know why, Ryuzaki decided to investigate.
He wanted to find out what Zen really was? Why was Koushirou sitting quietly on the floor?
Ryuzaki, with a full 368 points of Basic Swordsmanship talent, wanted to study it.
Suddenly, Ryuzaki felt something sharp piercing his soul.
"This is..."
Ryuzaki looked at Koushirou in surprise. Yes, the feeling was emanating from Koushirou.
Koushirou looked very peaceful and quiet, but he gave Ryuzaki a very uncomfortable feeling.
"This guy, could he be attacking me?" Ryuzaki was shocked. Could such a thing be possible?
Ryuzaki secretly glanced at the people around him.
He found that no one around him seemed to be the same, as if everything was normal.
Kuina was sitting quietly next to him, seemingly without any discomfort.
Ryuzaki frowned, thinking that the sharp thing must be aimed at him.
"Right, this is a duel!"
Ryuzaki realized, and immediately closed his eyes, trying to detect that sharp thing.
It was hard to describe what that sharp thing was, because it was something without a specific form, like a person's consciousness.
Never mind, I'll try to imitate it and see if I can also emit that sharp thing.
***
**Section 105**
Ryuzaki tried a few times but found it didn't work.
"Zen? Maybe I'm not calm enough? Right, I'll just use *Kami-e*!"
*Kami-e* is about releasing all the power in your body. Although he didn't know what it would do, Ryuzaki decided to give it a try.
Using *Kami-e*, he completely relaxed.
Slowly, Ryuzaki entered a state of emptiness where nothing existed.
**Chapter 73: The Zen Duel (Part 2)**
Slowly, Ryuzaki entered a state of emptiness where nothing existed.
At this moment, everything around him was extremely quiet!
Even when the children were waving bamboo swords and shouting, Ryuzaki felt that their voices were very, very distant, as if they were coming from the far horizon.
At this moment, Ryuzaki saw that sharp thing even more clearly!
"That's... that's a sword?"
Ryuzaki was very surprised.
Now he felt as if he was in a quiet environment isolated by a protective shield.
And outside, there was a sword constantly stabbing at the protective shield.
But the sword was not a physical object.
Because Ryuzaki could clearly see that the sword had a long tail, and the source of the tail was none other than Koushirou.
Perhaps due to Ryuzaki's exceptionally high aptitude in swordsmanship, he perceived all of this concretely within his divine sense.
Each time the strange sword pierced the protective shield, the information transmitted from the shield was relayed to Ryuzaki, deepening his understanding of the sword.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
After numerous failed attempts, Ryuzaki finally succeeded in condensing an identical sword.
He had forgotten exactly how he did it!
It was simply a pure feeling, a deeper insight into himself, into the spirit he possessed as a swordsman, and then, using this insight, he extracted a very, very small amount from that spirit.
Using that very small amount, he successfully sculpted a tiny sword.
Ryuzaki controlled this sword and retaliated against Koushirou.
*Clang—*
This was the peculiar sound produced when the two swords clashed.
However, Ryuzaki's sword shattered upon contact, but after disintegrating, it reformed and attacked Koushirou's sword once more.
Ryuzaki was completely absorbed in this exhilarating battle, unaware of the situation outside.
It was already dark outside!
The apprentices practicing at the dojo had gone home, and Koushirou's assistant had also returned.
Now, in this quiet night, only three people remained in the dojo: Koushirou, Ryuzaki, and Kuina.
Kuina stared at Ryuzaki, lost in thought. Although she didn't understand what had happened between Ryuzaki and her father, she could sense something different.
She felt that both her father, Koushirou, and Ryuzaki exuded a powerful aura.
Kuina, like a bewildered and ignorant girl, simply stared blankly.
Another hour passed.
Ryuzaki slowly opened his eyes. Helpless, Koushirou sheathed his small sword, and Ryuzaki had no choice but to sheath his as well.
Although a little embarrassed to ask, Ryuzaki still shamelessly inquired!
"Mr. Koushirou, what is that small sword?"
"Small sword?" Koushirou was taken aback at first, then laughed: "I see, I see, you really are an extraordinary swordsmanship genius!"
"What is it?"
"That thing is called **Sword Intent** (Keni)!"
"Sword Intent?"
"Yes, ordinary swordsmen, even those who have reached the level of Great Swordsman, would not use the term 'small sword' because they cannot even sense that it is a sword."
"I have been training for nearly three years before my perception of Sword Intent changed from an intangible state to a tangible one."
Three years? Holy crap, that long?
Ryuzaki was dumbfounded. Koushirou needed three years, why did I only need an afternoon? ...
**Chapter 74: Swordsmanship Improvement**
Is it because I used *Kami-e*?
Ryuzaki really didn't understand.
This situation could only be explained by "I seem to be really good!"
What surprised Ryuzaki even more was...
He looked at his Kendo Basics level; it was now **Lv 80**!
He clearly remembered it being Lv 74 before.
It had jumped six levels in one go?
Keep in mind, this was the late stage of Kendo cultivation, unlike the early stage where levels increased rapidly.
A six-level jump in the late stage of Kendo cultivation...
The only explanation for this was the addition of Sword Intent.
Section 106
It was this understanding that caused Ryuzaki's level to jump significantly.
Actually, the one truly astonished was Koushirou!
Koushirou used Sword Intent (Keni) to stimulate Ryuzaki, his original intention being to guide him to quickly enter a state of Zen.
This method might not work for others, but for a genius like Ryuzaki, Koushirou thought it was feasible.
Koushirou wanted Ryuzaki to gradually comprehend it, to first give him a sense of it.
He never expected that Ryuzaki would directly comprehend Sword Intent.
You must know, throughout history, countless Lv 89 swordsmen have lingered at that level for years, even dying of old age, without ever reaching it.
Becoming a Great Swordsman (Dai Kengo) is precisely about comprehending Sword Intent.
Yet, Ryuzaki hadn't even reached Lv 89 yet; his swordsmanship still had many flaws, but he had already comprehended Sword Intent.
Moreover, this process of comprehension only took an afternoon!
If you had to extend it a bit, it would take another night.
In the time that followed…
Ryuzaki sparred with Koushirou in the morning, and in the afternoon, he sparred with him in Zen.
In reality, he practiced swordsmanship in the morning and Sword Intent in the afternoon.
Ryuzaki's strength was increasing rapidly.
Even though Koushirou appeared calm on the surface, this rate of growth stirred his heart, leaving him unable to calm down for a long time.
Time passed quickly!
Several months went by, and the seasons began to change.
This year, Ryuzaki was already twelve years old!
"Are you leaving?"
"Yes, Mr. Koushirou! I'm truly sorry for challenging you for so long."
"Hehehehe... I'm truly fortunate to have witnessed a genius like you."
"No, no, no, without Mr. Koushirou, I wouldn't have improved so quickly."
Ryuzaki took out a Den Den Mushi and left it with Koushirou.
"This is my contact information. Please contact me if you need any help."
"Even if I can't help, I have a wide network of connections. I know many impressive people—chefs, blacksmiths, doctors—I know many famous people!"
"Thank you very much!"
Koushirou accepted Ryuzaki's Den Den Mushi without hesitation.
Ryuzaki waved and left the Isshin Dojo (Isshin-ryu Dojo).
"Hey, wait..."
"Oh? Kuina?"
Ryuzaki looked back; it was Kuina who had caught up with him.
"I came to tell you that I've grown up!"
"Oh? So?"
Chapter 74: Kendo Improvement (Part 2)
"Oh? So?"
"So you and your 'Big Ball Theory' can both die, you despicable bastard! Are you happy deceiving innocent girls?"
"Uh—" Ryuzaki scratched his head, "It's just a theory, how can I know if it's true or false without testing it?"
"Hmph, whatever about the Big Ball Theory, remember to teach me the Six Styles and Life Return, okay? We made a pinky promise, no backing down."
"You said you'd grown up before."
"I have grown up!"
"Yeah, your IQ has all grown up into your chest!"
"You rascal!"
"Goodbye, Kuina!" Ryuzaki waved goodbye with a grin!
Ryuzaki didn't take Kuina with him.
Because Ryuzaki knew that Kuina was facing a major calamity.
If he rashly took Kuina away, perhaps Kuina wouldn't have fallen down the stairs, but who knows if she would have died in some other inexplicable way?
To save Kuina, and also to thank Koushirou for his teachings.
Ryuzaki deliberately left a Marker Door near the Isshin Dojo, a gate maintained by Armament Haki.
Currently, Ryuzaki's Armament Haki level has reached Lv 34, which is sufficient to maintain two Marker Doors.
Of course, Ryuzaki's biggest improvement during this period has actually been in swordsmanship.
Swordsmanship Basics: Lv 92.
One-Sword Style (Ittoryu): Lv 89.
In other aspects, due to using Kami-e for Zen practice, Ryuzaki's Kami-e has also improved to Lv 56.
Basic Strength has slightly increased, from Lv 46 to Lv 49.
Basic Physical Fitness has reached Lv 89.
Observation Haki: Sight has reached Lv 29.
These achievements are gratifying.
Of course, even if Ryuzaki's Swordsmanship Basics reach Lv 92, in actual combat, he definitely cannot defeat Hawkeye (Mihawk).
Section 107
Leaving aside the difference in Haki, just in terms of basic strength alone, he was far inferior to his opponent.
Great Swordsmen basically have no weaknesses.
Strength, stamina, and Haki are all top-notch.
"Well, never mind. Basic strength... I'll improve it slowly later. I can't beat Hawkeye now, but beating those pirates with bounties of several hundred million is still no problem."
Ryuzaki was quite happy, humming a little tune, his steps almost floating!
"I've improved so much, should I show off a bit?"
Ryuzaki pondered this question. In swordsmanship, he had already entered the realm of a Great Swordsman, although a Great Swordsman with obvious flaws, but at least he had reached that level, right?
With such formidable strength, Ryuzaki felt uneasy if he didn't show off a little.
A News Coo (Newsbird) flew by.
Ryuzaki waved and bought a newspaper.
Come to think of it, he'd been so focused on training lately that he'd forgotten to pay attention to the news.
"Huh? Fisher Tiger's bounty? 230 million Berries? Looks like Fisher Tiger has already attacked Mary Geoise and rescued the imprisoned slaves. Wait, wait..."
Ryuzaki suddenly realized something and flipped through the back of the newspaper.
"Sure enough, hahaha... Dead, Saint Bigezabi!"
Ryuzaki laughed happily.
Because Fisher Tiger had wreaked havoc in Mary Geoise, among the freed slaves were Saint Bigezabi's slaves.
It's said that Saint Bigezabi was killed by one of his slaves, using the very Cursed Sword Ryuzaki had given him—the Dragon Emperor!
Ryuzaki was secretly pleased. Saint Bigezabi's death was perfectly timed, occurring precisely during Fisher Tiger's rampage in Mary Geoise, killed in the chaos.
That way, no one would suspect Ryuzaki.
Damn it, you were killed by a slave with a knife, what does that have to do with me!
"I won't take the blame for this, Fisher Tiger will!"
Chapter 75: The Clever Swordsman Five Elders
Hmm, what's that saying again? When the sky falls, the tall guys hold it up.
That's right, that's it.
Although I'm the real mastermind, Fisher Tiger and that pathetic slave who committed the crime are the ones taking the fall. You guys are great, keep it up! I'm giving you moral encouragement!
Ryuzaki chuckled mischievously.
This incident also allowed Ryuzaki to witness the power of the Cursed Sword.
Demon swords killing their masters takes many forms, truly impossible to guard against.
It's almost impossible to prevent; the only way is to stay away from Cursed Swords, or, moreover, to truly master them.
Of course, the latter is extremely rare and not worth most people's consideration.
Ryuzaki flipped through the newspapers but didn't find any news about the whereabouts of the Dragon Emperor.
The report speculated that the famous sword Dragon Emperor was lost in the chaos, most likely stolen by a slave!
"Forget it, I won't think about it anymore. Whoever stole the Dragon Emperor is definitely going to be in trouble."
As Ryuzaki said this...
In a white room, a bald old man wearing a white kimono and glasses—yes, one of the Five Elders, commonly known as the Swordsman Elder (V. Nusjuro)—was carefully polishing the Dragon Emperor.
"A fine sword, a fine sword! It truly lives up to its name, the Dragon Emperor. Its domineering aura makes me feel incredibly strained..."
The Swordsman Elder exclaimed, "It's a waste that this sword was in the hands of Saint Bigezabi. It's better that I keep it!"
"Although Fisher Tiger's actions are utterly heinous, I've managed to obtain this famous sword, the Dragon Emperor. What luck I have! Hahahaha..."
The Swordsman Elder laughed smugly, feeling he had gotten a great deal.
He meticulously polished the Dragon Emperor like a precious treasure, then, like a thief, secretly hid it in his private stash.
The Five Elders were quite pleased with themselves. They'd managed to steal the sword amidst the chaos, feeling their actions were perfect and flawless, and a great sense of accomplishment washed over them.
The Five Elders gave themselves a thousand thumbs up, thinking to themselves, "I'm so damn clever!"
Of course, Ryuzaki was unaware of all this.
Right now, Ryuzaki was looking at another piece of news.
It was a news report about the inheritance of a Celestial Dragon's estate.
The reason Ryuzaki was paying attention was because this news was related to the death of Saint Bigezabi.
Well, Saint Bigezabi had married a beautiful wife, who was also a Celestial Dragon named Saintess Onaya (Onaya-gu).
The wedding had already taken place!
Apparently, it was held the day before Fisher Tiger's attack on Mary Geoise.
And then, the very next day, Saint Bigezabi died!
What bad luck!
Let's have a moment of silence for him!
And with Saint Bigezabi's death, his estate was inherited by Saintess Onaya!
This was confirmed and was legal.
But clearly, Saint Bigezabi's relatives were indignant. "Why? You've only been married into the family for a short time! Why is all the property yours? Why don't we get a share?"
And so, Saint Bigezabi's relatives launched an attack on Saintess Onaya through the newspapers.
"Put aside the pretense for now. I should go to Saintess Onaya and swindle some benefits from her."
Section 108
"Yeah, that's right, that's it."
"Not only will I fool Saint Bigezabi (posthumously), but I'll also fool his wife, Saintess Onaya."
Ryuzaki pondered the feasibility of this matter.
"Let's do it, it's decided!"
Chapter 75: The Clever Swordsman Five Elders (Part 2)
"Let's do it, it's decided!"
But before that, he had to go to Fist Island to visit those new recruits.
Ryuzaki returned to Fist Island, and the new recruits surrounded him one by one.
"Sir, why have you been gone for so long?"
"Mr. Ryuzaki, when are you going to teach us combat skills?"
Well, these guys are quite enthusiastic about improving their strength.
Ryuzaki glanced at them and found that their basic physical fitness was pretty good, generally reaching around Lv 20.
"Huh?"
When Ryuzaki glanced at Enel's talent, he found that this guy had an additional talent: Observation Haki: Smell (119).
Upon closer inspection, this guy's Observation Haki: Smell was already Lv 4!
"Enel, come here!"
"Hehe, boss, what are your orders?"
Looking at Enel's smile, Ryuzaki was speechless. This guy... does he have to smile like a lackey when he sees me?
"Enel, how did you awaken your Observation Haki?"
"Observation Haki?"
"Okay, how did you get your super-strong sensory abilities?"
"Oh, that... I followed what you said, boss, and fought blindfolded. Then I gained a beast-like intuition."
A beast-like intuition? Wow, you really know how to describe it.
"Enel, that's called Observation Haki..."
Seeing that these guys didn't quite understand, Ryuzaki explained Haki again.
After hearing this, they all got excited and wanted to blindfold themselves to train Observation Haki, as if they could easily obtain it with a little training.
Damn it, Enel is a god-level figure!
His Observation Haki talent in the "Smell" rank is a whopping 119, not something you can just imitate casually!
Ryuzaki inwardly grumbled, but oh well, let them have their fun.
"Quiet, quiet! I'm quite satisfied with your physical abilities!"
Ryuzaki said. "Now, I will teach you one of the Six Styles of the Navy: Iron Body (Tekkai) Training."
Upon hearing "Six Styles of the Navy," everyone became extremely excited.
They had witnessed Ryuzaki use them before, and what they most anticipated was the Moonwalk (Geppo), which allowed them to walk in the air.
However, they weren't picky; they would learn whatever Ryuzaki taught.
There was a reason why Ryuzaki would teach them Iron Body first.
In war, there are often unavoidable injuries that one can only endure.
In such situations, Iron Body is undoubtedly the best choice to save one's life.
Iron Body is a defensive technique; a well-trained body generates strength, giving it the hardness of iron.
The prerequisite is the training of muscle strength and power.
Therefore, Ryuzaki brought back a lot of training equipment this time, and in conjunction with Iron Body training, he developed a series of strength training plans.
Undoubtedly, Iron Body is a defensive technique.
However, once the Iron Body technique is mastered, even without using it, one's physical attributes and resilience will be greatly enhanced.
This is the effect Ryuzaki wanted—to make the soldiers less likely to die.
After all, training an excellent soldier takes a lot of time.
Ryuzaki assigned a series of training tasks and then handed everything over to "Steward" Law, while Ryuzaki himself comfortably became a hands-off manager.
Chapter 76: Saint Barwins on the Verge of Being Brought In
Ryuzaki spent two or three days on Fist Island, watching as the training progressed smoothly, and nodded in satisfaction, thinking it was time to go to Mary Geoise!
Of course, going directly to Saintess Onaya would be impolite.
He needed to inform them beforehand.
Therefore, Ryuzaki contacted Buck, asking him to make the connection, and informed Saintess Onaya beforehand before setting off for Mary Geoise.
Although the incident of Fisher Tiger causing a ruckus in Mary Geoise was long past...
When Ryuzaki stepped onto the land of Mary Geoise, he surveyed his surroundings and found it still riddled with holes.
It seemed the restoration work wouldn't be completed quickly.
Ryuzaki, dressed in a black suit and tie, walked the streets of Mary Geoise.
Unlike his last visit, this time, Ryuzaki didn't see a single Celestial Dragon.
Presumably, the Five Elders were concerned for the Celestial Dragons' safety and had ordered them not to venture out unnecessarily.
Ryuzaki headed towards his residence at Onaya Palace…
but just then, a man in a suit approached from around the corner, an elderly man.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Ryuzaki?"
"Oh? And you are…"
Section 109
"I am the butler of Saint Barwins. Saint Barwins requests your presence." (Note: Name previously translated as Saint Barens/Barvens, standardizing to Saint Barwins here as per the chapter title).
Saint Barwins? Uh… alright, if you Celestial Dragons summon me, then I'll go!
The old butler didn't say much, but along the way, Ryuzaki managed to extract information from him.
It turned out that Saint Barwins was Saint Bigezabi's older cousin.
Ryuzaki suddenly remembered!
Last time, Saint Bigezabi had obtained two rare Devil Fruits from his older cousin and then given them to Ryuzaki.
So that's how it is!
So the question is!
Should I lie to this Saint Barwins? Or should I lie?
With only a few steps left, Ryuzaki arrived at Saint Barwins's mansion.
Ryuzaki finally made up his mind—let fate decide!
Life is so capricious.
If someone absolutely needs to mourn, Saint Barwins, I, Ryuzaki, assure you, that person will definitely not be me.
Saint Barwins's mansion also showed signs of damage; it seemed many of his slaves had escaped.
Ryuzaki followed the butler deeper into the mansion, to a fountain.
There stood Saint Barwins, a thin, shrewd-looking man with a mustache and curly hair.
"You must be Ryuzaki?"
"Yes, Saint Barwins!" Ryuzaki gave a polite and elegant bow.
"Are you going to see that woman, Onaya?"
"Eh? Yes, I'm going to see Saintess Onaya!"
"Hmph!" Saint Barwins snorted angrily. "Tell me honestly, why are you going to see her? Are you going to give that woman the rest of my cousin's inheritance?"
"Ah? This…"
"Don't be so evasive. Don't think I don't know."
Saint Barwins said coldly, "My cousin secretly summoned you last time. He even demanded two rare Devil Fruits from me. You took them, didn't you?"
"Saint Bigezabi did indeed have something important to tell me."
"I know, I understand his character very well… Ryuzaki, tell me honestly, what exactly did my cousin ask you to do last time?"
Okay!
Chapter 76: Saint Barwins on the Verge of Being Brought In (Part 2)
Okay!
Ryuzaki felt that this wasn't his fault; Saint Barwins, you walked right into the line of fire yourself.
"Not going to talk? Hmph, so you chose Onaya? Just because she has the right to inherit? Listen to me, kid, I advise you to be smart. Offending me has dire consequences."
Sigh—
Ryuzaki sighed inwardly. Saint Barwins, please accept my condolences.
"Saint Barwins, I'll talk, I'll talk."
"Heh heh, isn't that quite sensible? Tell me, what exactly did my cousin leave you?"
"Actually…"
Ryuzaki repeated the same words he'd used to deceive Saint Bigezabi in front of Saint Barwins.
"What? Comparable to an Ancient Weapon? Is that true?"
"Yes, Saint Barwins, that sword, I call it—a Divine Weapon!"
"However, forging a Divine Weapon is extremely difficult, but once completed, it possesses power comparable to an Ancient Weapon."
"How's the forging of that Divine Weapon coming along?"
"Not yet finished. I urgently need a Devil Fruit."
"Last time, Saint Bigezabi gave me only a first-generation Devil Fruit (initial materials). I never expected… sigh, it's all because of that damned fish-man (Fisher Tiger). Saint Barwins, I urgently need a Devil Fruit to enter the second stage of forging."
Saint Barwins stroked his beard, looking at Ryuzaki with a shrewd expression.
"How do I know you're not lying to me?"
"This… Saint Barwins, if you don't believe me, then I have no choice. If you have no other instructions, I must go to the Onaya Palace."
Saint Barwins frowned slightly, somewhat conflicted.
In terms of trusting Ryuzaki's words, Barwins believed about six-tenths.
He also knew that Ryuzaki had indeed forged the peerless sword, Dragon Emperor, for his cousin. He had even admired it at the hands of Saint Bigezabi.
It was indeed a fine sword, and Saint Barwins praised it highly.
Unlike Saint Bigezabi, Saint Barwins was a thoroughly ambitious man.
He was dissatisfied with the status quo and harbored deep resentment towards the Five Elders.
Because of the Five Elders' existence, Saint Barwins had some things he wanted to do but couldn't, such as his desire to bring Vice Admiral Gion of the Navy into his service as a slave.
However, he was threatened and warned by the Five Elders!
Saint Barwins felt aggrieved; despite being a Celestial Dragon, some things simply couldn't be done as he wished.
If, if he could possess something comparable to an Ancient Weapon, Saint Barwins felt his status would far surpass that of other Celestial Dragons.
Then, he could challenge the Five Elders, and manipulating a mere Vice Admiral would be a piece of cake!
The desire for power, the allure of the artifact, and the dissatisfaction with Saintess Onaya finally led Saint Barwins to make a decision.
Section 110
"Don't tell Onaya about this. I'll give you the Devil Fruit."
"Really? That's great!"
"Hmph, I can give you the Devil Fruit, but if I find out you've lied to me..."
"How could I? I'm just a mere mortal, how dare I lie to the descendant of the Creator?"
"Heh heh, you know that's good."
Ryuzaki's words pleased Saint Barwins. Saint Barwins secretly thought he'd overthought things. "I'm a descendant of the Creator, how dare a mere mortal lie to me?"
Then Saint Barwins prepared six Devil Fruits and let Ryuzaki take them away!
Honestly, when Ryuzaki got the power of six Devil Fruits, he cursed inwardly as a poor bastard.
Chapter 77: Taking an Artistic Photo
Damn it, you're supposed to be a Celestial Dragon! Six Zoan-type Devil Fruits, how can you even be presentable?
You can't even produce one Logia-type Devil Fruit, how dare you call yourself a Celestial Dragon?
"You Celestial Dragons living such a poor life, you might as well just kill yourself!"
After leaving Saint Barwins's mansion, Ryuzaki headed to Onaya's mansion.
Because of Saint Bigezabi's death, Onaya didn't live in Bigezabi's mansion, but in her own beautiful castle.
It truly was a castle, not very large, but incredibly luxurious.
How to put it... was Onaya a spendthrift woman?
Living alone in such a super luxurious place... well, she's probably quite wealthy; let's see if I can swindle a few hundred billion Berries.
If not, getting some Devil Fruits would be fine too.
Of course, Ryuzaki hoped, ideally, to obtain a Logia-type Devil Fruit.
Ryuzaki met Onaya in the castle's dungeon.
When he saw her, the woman was wearing pajamas and whipping a slave.
It was a female slave, with golden hair, but now her hands were nailed to a cross. A once beautiful woman, now tortured beyond recognition.
Perhaps Saintess Onaya was tired!
A dozen minutes later, she sat down on a stool to rest.
"That wretched woman, how dare she grab my skirt with her filthy hands, she deserves to die..."
Saintess Onaya cursed as she rested.
"Great and beautiful Saintess Onaya, are you tired?"
"Hmm? You are... when did you appear?"
"I am Ryuzaki. You were so engrossed in your fight that you didn't notice me."
"Ryuzaki? Oh, right, you've come to discuss my husband's inheritance, haven't you?"
"Yes, Saintess Onaya, you are the rightful heir to the legacy of Saint Bigezabi, so..."
"Put the inheritance aside for now!"
Saintess Onaya suddenly stood up, pointing angrily at Ryuzaki: "You, why don't you kneel before me?"
Kneel?
Ryuzaki was stunned.
In fact, there's no rule that World Government officials kneel before Celestial Dragons, especially those within the official World Government structure, who are essentially part of the government and not the private property of any Celestial Dragon.
Just like Marine Admirals don't need to kneel before Celestial Dragons (in private settings unless forced).
Ryuzaki remained calm, subtly releasing his Observation Haki to survey the dungeon.
The dungeon wasn't large.
Perhaps because of Fisher Tiger's rampage in Mary Geoise, it was empty.
Besides the female slave nailed to the cross, there were no other slaves!
As for the others, besides Ryuzaki and Saintess Onaya, there was only one guard!
Speaking of which, this guard was quite dedicated; after leading Ryuzaki into the dungeon, he promptly closed the door, demonstrating meticulous work ethic.
"What are you standing there for? Kneel down now!"
"Hehehehe..."
Came a cold laugh in response to Saintess Onaya.
A sharp dagger flashed, and the guard standing to the side had a visible cut on his neck. He didn't even have time to utter a sound before collapsing to the ground, dead beyond any doubt.
"What? You..."
"Shh—it's not good to make a lot of noise!"
Ryuzaki covered Onaya's mouth.
"Mmm... mmm..." Onaya struggled desperately.
Chapter 77: Taking an Artistic Photo (Part 2)
"Mmm... mmm..." Onaya struggled desperately.
But Ryuzaki's limbs were like iron clamps, firmly controlling her body, and Onaya couldn't break free at all.
"You cold-blooded bitch, your breasts still have some warmth."
At this moment, Onaya was truly stunned. She watched as Ryuzaki's hand reached inside her pajamas and mercilessly rubbed them.
Saintess Onaya was on the verge of collapse. She was a descendant of the Creator, and now, she was being... done to by a mere low-level swordsman, by those filthy hands...
"Right, I'd better be careful!"
Ryuzaki freed one hand, creating an Air Door, and then dragged Saintess Onaya into the alternate dimension.
"No..."